Sewing machine



Aug. 10, 1948. ASHWQRTH 446,569

SEWING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1947 Patented Aug. 10, 1948 SEWING MACHINE Fredf Ashworth, W'enham, Mass, assignor to United: Shoe. Machinery Corporation,

a corporation of. New Jersey Fleming- Application May 29, 1947', serial No. 751,319

9G1aims- (Cl. 112-62 The present inventionrelates' to machines for sewing together the top or' tongue piece and thesidepieces or vampof a moccasin or an imitation moccasin type shoe and is hereinafter described as embodied in a machinesim-ilar to that disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,366,703, granted. January 9, 1945, on an application of the present inventor;

I11 the machine of the patent the pieces of amoccasin type shoe upper are brought into assembled relationship and sewed simultaneously with a lockstitch scam; the stitches passing through the beveled edge of' the pieces at the shoulders. formed by the intersection of the beveled' faces with. the inner surfaces thereof. The machine: of the patent is efi'ective and may be adjustedfor differently shaped edges on the moccasiir pieces, the: machine being illustrated in the patent as arranged to operate upon edges beveled to a sharp. feather. In some instances it is desirable to have the moccasin pieces pre pared with square edges or with a blunt beveland to sew more closely to. the extreme edgesof the pieces than. is possible with sharply beveled edges. To: enable the: machine to operate effectively on moccasin pieces. with square-edges or with a blunt bevel: itis necessary to disassemble a two-part external work. suport that machine and to rearrange or remove. a set'of' shims or spacing plates disposed between the parts of the work support, the edges of the spacing plates presenting suitable complemental surfaces to guide. the edges of the. moccasin pieces. Removal of the plates changes the l'ocationo-f the seam withreference to the edges sewed and requires readjustment of other parts of the machine; Re-' arrangement of the plates thusis. a time consum ing operation requiring special skill and experience for acceptable results.

Anobject of the present invention. is to'provid-e an improved formof work support for a moccasin type shoe sewing machine. by means of which moccasin seams may be sewn, connecting the top or tongue piece and vamp or side piece of an upper having their edges prepared with either a sharp or a blunt bevel or even left square, without the necessity of disassembling the work support and without the exercise of special skill or attention on the part of the operator.

Accordingly, an important feature of the in vention consists in the provision of an external work support having. work engaging surfaces disposed at an angle to each other but provided along the apex of the angle with an undercut recess. within which is fitted a removable. insert, having work engagi'ngsurfacesmerging into the work engaging surfaces or the work support. The work engaging surfaces of the insert are accurately formed to cooperate effectively either with a partieular bevel or square shape with which the moccasin edges are prepared and the work support is constructed as a unit, which neednot be disassembled oradjusted with shims or spacing plates, thus assuring reliable and uniform mounting of the work support on'themachine with its: work engaging surfaces locatedproperly with relation to the opera-ting parts, including aninternaE presser which compresses the moccasin parts within-- the angle of'the work. support. Preferably, the IZECESSI is of cylindrical shape and the-insert is shapedr'tofitcl'osely within the recess along the apex of the angle the-work support. The insert, hereinafter described, is nicked out along its edgesto adinit-passage of thework penetrating. instruments in the machine and, in the form illustrated,- is engaged by a clamping plate-ta secure. it imposition on the'worlc support. TO: enable botlrasembling: and sewin operationto be performed, the insert hasa diametrical slottoreceiue: a-worh centering fin, which enters: the angle; between. the. work engaging: surf aces: oi the: work; support,v as in; the. machineof the patient.

These and other-features-oi the invention con sist. in: arr improved: form ofwork' trimming knife: and clamping means. therefor: and. in certain d'evices, combinations, arrangements and. parts: hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages: of which: will lee-apparent from: the follow-- ing descri-ptiorrtakerr. in: connection with the. ac companying drawings in which:

Fig- 1 is a plan view at a portion oil a machine. embodying the-'ieaturesof the. present. invention. and: illustrating. the-manner of: operation on to beveled edges of a moccasin type shoe upper which is. being assembled-,,;sewn, and trimmed: in a single operation;

Figan. a view in side elevationof the portion of the machine.- i-llustrated in Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is. a similar view-oi. the same. parts H1118:- trating; the operations upon: moccasin upperpieces, the: edges of which are. squared;

4, is a view in front. elevation of the work supportnig table of the machine with certain parts broken away to=show the. construction;

Fig. 5 is a. detail viewnin. front: elevation onan enlarged scale of an: insert illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is: a view in. emdelevation ofv the insert of'Fig. 5, looking from. the right;

ie. isa view in left end elevation on a similar scale of the insert illustrated inllig. 3;:

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the insert of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is a right end elevation of the same insert.

The illustrated machine in its construction and mode of operation is substantially the same, except as hereinafter described, as that in the patent above referred to. The machine has a curved hooked needle 2, a curved Work penetrating and feeding awl 4, an external work support 6, a horn having an internal presser 8 secured thereto, and other devices of the usual form for inserting a lockstitch seam. The work support is formed with work engaging surfaces disposed at an acute angle to each other and is intersected by openings 9 to admit movement of the needle and awl across said angle and the presser has work engaging surfaces at its tip arranged at a similar angle to each other to compress the edges of the moccasin pieces within the angle of the work' support.

The top piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe upper are indicated at It! and I2 in Fig. 2 and in the particular machine illustrated these moccasin pieces are directed in separated relation into the machine without the need of prior assembly and are stitched while being held by the work support and presser in registering relation. In Figs. 1 and 2 the moccasin pieces are illustrated as being beveled along their edges at an angle approximating 30 so that when the beveled faces of the pieces are brought into register the combined angle formed therebywill approximate 60. To guide the beveled faces of the pieces into proper registry, the work support has mounted upon it at a position along the line of feed in advance of the sewing point, a centering gage in the form of a fin; l4. When the moccasin pieces are formed with a sharp feather edge, as in Fig. 2, the apex of the angle between the work engaging surfaces of the work support needs to be correspondingly shaped. For best results, when the moccasin pieces being operated upon are not so beveled it is necessary to provide guiding surf-aces of a different shape to receive the combined edges. Thus if the edges of the moccasin pieces are prepared with a blunt bevel, a sharp apex is not required between the work engaging surfaces of the work support and if square edged pieces are being sewed then the angularly disposed surfaces of the work support will need to have a rectangular or blunt apex. In the machine of the patent the proper shape of the work support for'difierent types and shapes of moccasin piece edges is accomplished by removing, rearranging or replacing a series of spacing plates disposed between two parts of the work support employed in that machine. This can be accomplished only by trial and error and is not conducive to quick adaptation. y

In the machine of the present invention moccasin pieces having their edges prepared in different shapes may be'assembled and sewed accurately without complicated or time consuming adjustments such as required in rearranging or substituting spacing plates between thework'support parts to bringthe shape of the work support into conformity with that of the moccasin piece edges. Tothis end the external work support 6 is made with a unitary rigid construction, both above and below the apex of the angle between its work engaging surfaces, the work engaging surfaces being provided with an undercut recess along the apex of the angle. In the form of the work support illustrated, this recess is. cylindrical with its axis, lying in close parallel relationship to the apex of the angle formed between the work engaging surfaces. When the work support is attached to the machine the positions of the internal work engaging surfaces thereon are definitely determined, no means for separately adjusting these surfaces being necessary. Accordingly, all of the cooperating work engaging and sewing devices may be relied upon to perform their operations to the best advantage.

Within the undercut recess of the work support there is secured a readily removable cylindrical insert I6, the angular position of which is fixed at its left end by a horizontal pin 18 in the work support, bearing at its forward end against the end of a slot 2|) in the insert and at the right end of the insert the lengthwise position is fixed by a plate 22 having a clamp screw 24 entering the work support. The insert has work engaging surfaces also disposed at an angle to each other and located to merge with and form a continuation of the work engagin surfaces of the work support. By removing the screw 24 an insert of different shape may be substituted for the one previously used. Thus, when operating upon moccasin pieces having their edges beveled to a sharp feather with the insert it as in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 an insert l9 shaped for another type of work shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9 is substituted to receive moccasin pieces having square edges. In addition to these two inserts, a third form might be employed for moccasin edges having a blunt bevel but in most instances the insert [9 is suitable for both square and blunt bevel edges.

To enable the work centering fin M to perform its function properly each' insert is formed with a lengthwise diametrical slot 26 through one end. As a convenient means for mounting the centering fin it is integrally connected with the clamp plate 22. For clearing the needle and awl during their work penetrating and. retracting strokes the outer edges of the angle in the insert are nicked out at 21 opposite the paths of the needle and awl. The work engaging surfaces of each insert near its outer edge has the same angle as that of the work engaging surfaces of the work support so that both pairs of angularly disposed work engaging surfaces merge with each other, while an insert is clamped within the work support.

In some instances, particularly with sharply beveled moccasin pieces, as in Fig. 2, it is desirable to trim the sharp feather edges of the pieces after being sewed. For this purpose the work support has a forwardly and rearwardly extending guideway 28 within which the shank of a knife 30 may be clamped. The knife 30 is bent at right angles with the shank extending horizontally and the cutting edge, indicated at 32, verticallyclose to and along the line of work feed beyond the point of operation of the needle and awl and beyond the centering fin l4. By sliding the shank of the knife forwardly and rearwardly within the guideway the depth of the cut taken in the edges of the moccasin may be regulated.

To prevent escape of the trimming knife from the guideway 28 the guideway is formed along its right edge with an overhang. The left edge of the knife is overlapped by a projecting lug 33 on a horizontal pin 34 slidingly mounted within an opening in the work support. To clamp the knife 'in fixed position Within the guideway the pin 34 centering fin l4, assembling, sewing. and trimming operations may be performed simultaneously. Withthe square edge insert Hi the knife is not needed.

. The nature and. scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a. work penetrating instrument, an external work support having work engaging surfaces disposed with relation to each other to form an angle across which the penetrating instrument moves and anundercut. recess along the apex of the angle formed by said surfaces, and a presser acting on the pieces to compress the edges of the moccasin pieces within said angle, the combination with a removable insert shaped to fit the recess and formed with work engaging surfaces also disposed to form an angle merging with the Work engaging surfaces of the work support to enable the presser to clamp the pieces securely in place against the insert within its angle.

2. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a Work penetrating instrument, an external work support having work engaging surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and a cylindrical recess along the apex of the angle formed by said surfaces, and a presser acting on the moccasin pieces to compress their edges within the angle of the work support, the combination with a removable Work engaging insert fitting the recess in the work support. I

3. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a work penetrating instrument, an external work support having work engaging surfaces disposed at an angle to each other, and an internal presser acting on the moccasin pieces to crowd their edges into the angle of the work support, the combination with a removable work engaging insert of approximately cylindrical shape at the apex of the angle disposed lengthwise of the apex with angularly disposed work engaging surfaces of the insert merging with the work engaging surfaces of the work support.

4. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a work penetrating instrument, an external work support having work engaging surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and intersected by openings for the work penetrating instrument and an internal presser acting on the moccasin pieces to crowd their edges into the angle of the work support, the combination with a removable insert at the apex of the angle in the work support formed with work engaging surfaces merging with the work engaging surfaces of the work support, said insert being nicked out along the outer edges of the angle to clear the work penetrating instrument.

5. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a work penetrating instrument, an external work support having work engaging surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and an undercut recess along the apex of the angle formed by said surfaces and an internal presser acting on the moccasin pieces to crowd their edges into the angle of said surfaces, the combination with a removable insert shaped to fit the recess in the work support and formed with a lengthwise slot and angularly disposed work engaging'surfaces merging with the work engaging surfaces onthe work support and a work centering fin secured to the work support extending through the slot of the insert.

6. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having. stitch forming devices, including a curved. hook needle, an external work support having work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of; work feed and disposed at. an angle to each other across which angle the needle moves, and aninternal presser having. a tip formed with angularly disposed work engaging surfaces to compress the moccasin pieces operated upon between the work engaging surfaces of the work support, the combination with a trimming knife having a shank bent at right angles to the main portion thereof and releasably secured to the Work support to enable the depth of cut taken by the knife in the edges of the moccasin pieces to be varied by sliding movement of the knife shank on the Work support, and means for releasably securing the shank of the knife in fixed position on the work support comprising a guideway in the Work support and a clamping member disposed parallel to the line of work feed acting against the edge of the knife shank.

'7. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices, including a curved hook needle, an external work support having work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of work feed and disposed at an angle to each other across which angle the needle moves, and an internal presser having a tip formed with angularly disposed Work engaging surfaces to compress the moccasin pieces operated upon between the work engaging surfaces of the work support, the combination with a trimming knife having a shank bent at right angles to the main portion thereof and releasably secured to the work support to enable the depth of out taken by the knife in the edges of the moccasin pieces to be varied by sliding movement of the knife shank on the work support, and means for releasably securing the shank of the knife in fixed position on the Work support comprising a guideway in the work support and a clamping member disposed parallel to the line of work feed acting against the edge of the knife shank, the guideway in the Work support being provided with an overhang to prevent escape of the trimming knife shank from the guideway and the clamping means including a sliding pin having a lug overlapping the knife in the guideway.

8. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, an external work support having work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of Work feed and disposed at an angle to each other across which angle the needle moves, and an internal presser having a tip formed with angularly disposed work engaging surfaces to compress the moccasin pieces operated upon between the work engaging surfaces of the work support, the combination with a, centering fin for directing the moccasin pieces toward the sewing point in separated relation to each other and a trimming knife acting on the edges of the moccasin pieces simultaneously with the sewing operation at a position along the line of work feed beyond the centering fin. Y

9. In a machine for sewing the top or tongue piece and vamp of a. moccasin type shoe having stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, an external work support having work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of work feed and disposed at an angle to each other across which angle the needle moves, and an internal presser having a tip formed with singularly disposed work engaging surfaces to compress the moccasin pieces operated upon between the work engaging surfaces of the work support, the combination with a centering fin mounted on the work support at a, position along the line of work 15 2,3 7,313

8 feed in advance of the sewing point to direct moccasin pieces toward the sewing point in separated relation and a, trimming knife acting on the edges of the moccasin pieces at a position along the line of work feed beyond the sewing point. 7

FRED ASHWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Speight Oct. 30, 1945 Number 

